Life often throws us curveballs. Sometimes it happens when we’re down on our luck and other times it’s when we feel high on life. Either way they tend to come out of nowhere and sometimes can change our journey completely. A life lesson that we never thought we’d have.

In the new IFC Midnight thriller RUST CREEK, the main character Sawyer finds herself loving life until an unexpected encounter with some lowlife criminals. The film was directed by Jen McGowan and stars Hermione Corfield, Denise Dal Vera, Jeremy Glazer, Sean O'Bryan, Micah Hauptman, Daniel R. Hill, and Jay Paulson.

Hermione Corfield plays Sawyer, an overachieving college student who gets lost on her way to a job interview. One wrong turn leaves her stranded in a Kentucky forest, fighting for her life against a band of ruthless outlaws who will stop at nothing to find her. With no other place to go, she is forced to seek shelter with an unusual man (Jay Paulson) who has unknown intentions.

At first, I was worried this was just going to be another run of the mill rape-revenge story. You know the one where a girl is lost in the woods and some bad guys capture her, torture her, and then she escapes and seeks revenge. Although those stories are great, I was relieved that RUST CREEK was nothing like that. It was empowering on a different level and tells a beautiful story about an unlikely friendship.

Hermione Corfield gave a truly badass and ruthless performance. She had everything going for and then suddenly is put in a life or death situation yet doesn’t for one second think about giving up. She fights back, uses her resources, and kicks ass. I also loved Jay Paulson’s character. He’s the type of hero we need more of. He does what’s right instead of what’s easy. Micah Hauptman and Daniel R. Hill both plays their parts to perfection as slimy, sleezy, horrid wastes of space.

There’s plenty of twists and turns throughout the film to keep the tension and excitement flowing steady. I was crossing my fingers that the ending would turn out a certain way but unfortunately it didn’t. It was a wee-bit sad but still delivers a satisfying turn out. Or at least it did for me.

RUST CREEK isn’t a bloody or gory film. It’s a psychological thriller that takes you on journey with a young woman who must fight for her life despite evil lurking around every corner. It was told beautifully without being extra and that makes it stand out. IFC Midnight is starting the new year with a bang and I think everyone is going to enjoy this one!

Tori Danielle

RUST CREEK will arrive in theaters and On Demand January 4th, 2019 from IFC Midnight.